Sorry for the delay in typing up this account - connectivity problems called time on an unblemished track record.
My goodness, what a visit it turned out to be too! Species here, there and everywhere put my head into a spin and resulted in my leaving feeling giddy with all the feverish excitement of having the first 'big trip out' since my operation AND having spent a 'few pounds' in the shop. The trip finally 'reconnected' me fully into my hobby. We'd originally planned to visit both Holme and Titchwell but the large truck blocking the access road to Holme and confusing pricing there didn't help matters. So the parents (A.K.A. the 'Dudes') and I cut our losses and decided to make Titchwell a day's jaunt.
The weather was warm and springlike; what a difference a day makes! Titchwell didn't disappoint in the lifers department either. I got two of them!
So, species seen then........ ** takes deep breath **
LIFERS:
Red-crested Pochard on middle lagoon swimming along the reeds.
Ruddy Duck On first large lake on left when you walk up the main track to the beach.
Life List now 171.
NON-LIFERS:
Bittern - 1 flying into reedbeds provided excellent, first-rate views. Later heard booming its head off!
Little Egret - 2 on marshland immediately west of reserve
Coot - plenty everywhere
Moorhen - about 15 seen in reeds and gully
Great Crested Grebe - 2 pairs on sea
Little Grebe - 20
Grey Heron - 2 on brackish marsh
Black-headed Gull - hundreds
Herring Gull - many calling and swooping
Common Gull - plenty
Greater Black-backed Gull - 7
Marsh Harrier - up to 3 pairs hunting over reserve
Peregrine - 1 perched on street light seen on the way back just west of King's Lynn
Kestrel - a total of 6 seen on way there and back
Mute Swan - 7
Brent Goose - 3 medium-sized flocks on salt marsh
Greylag Goose - 8
Canada Goose - 20
Shelduck - plenty
Mallard - plenty
Tufted Duck - about 30
Shoveler - 30
Teal - 8
Gadwall - 6 pairs
Wigeon - 20 or so feeding on salt marsh
Oystercatcher - many on exposed rocks on beach
Turnstone - plenty on beach
Sanderling - plenty zipping around on beach
Grey Plover - 10 or so on beach, all still in winter plumage
Golden Plover - few on beach
Lapwing - 4
Avocet - 30 or so
Spotted Redshank - 3
Redshank - plenty
Curlew - 8 calling, probably more elsewhere
Ruff - 2
Snipe - 7
Black-tailed Godwit - 25
Swallow - 2
Chiffchaff - 5
Willow Warbler - 2 hidden amongst reeds
Meadow Pipit - 5
Stonechat - 2 pairs
Skylark - 6
Reed Bunting - 6 pairs
Goldfinch - flock of about 30
Brambling - 5 at feeding station
Bullfinch - 1 male in reeds
Chaffinch - many male and female, plenty calling
Greenfinch - only 3 seen
Robin - 15, at least 3 very confiding coming about 5 inches from my hand!
Blackbird - plenty
Song Thrush - 2 singing in car park trees
Mistle Thrush - 1 on hedge outside reserve
Starling - many flitting between lagoon islands
Wren - several calling
Blue Tit - 20
Great Tit - 10
Long-tailed Tit - 2
Pheasant - plenty in fields seen on journey there and back
Rook - hundreds
Carrion Crow - hundreds in fields
Jackdaw - ditto
Magpie - ditto
Collared Dove - usual
Woodpigeon - usual.
REPORTED: 4 Woodlark, but not seen or heard by me.
PHEW - wonder where I'll go next? Snettisham? Gib Point? Kirkby Pits? Or anywhere that'll help me get up to 200 on the Life List? Anyone got any ideas? What I DO know is, is that I've got 3 post-operative invitations outstanding from relatives. One that'll take me to eastern Dorset (and definitely Hengistbury Head), another one to explore sites in south or west Yorkshire and a few days or so seeing the highlights of Essex's wildlife havens (almost certainly Rainham Marshes). Not forgetting my two holidays; a week in Pembrokeshire (that must SURELY provide me with a Chough or two) and another week in the Lake District!